Long Beach prepares for winter storm

City officials urging drivers to stay off roads; 3 to 6 inches of snow and sleet expected

Posted
Friday, January 18, 2019 12:00 am

Department of Public Works crews are preparing to clear roads and respond to the storm.

Herald File Photo

The city’s Department of Public Works is preparing for this weekend’s winter storm that could dump up to six inches of snow and sleet, and city officials are urging motorists to stay off the roads.

The city said that its street maintenance crews are "fully prepared" for the storm, with snow removal vehicles and salt and sand spreaders ready to go when snow starts to fall, part of DPW’s “thorough snow emergency response plan.”

According to The National Weather Service, a Winter Storm Watch is in effect from Saturday afternoon through Sunday afternoon. Heavy, mixed precipitation is possible. Total snow and sleet accumulations of one- to three-inches are expected, and potentially up to six inches. Ice accumulations of up to one tenth of an inch are also possible.

“Please avoid driving during this time if possible, as travel could be very difficult at any point during the storm,” the city said in a news release. “And take necessary precautions to protect your property, including securing lawn furniture and removing any loose tree limbs.”

Plowing begins when three inches of snow has accumulated. Rapidly falling temperatures Sunday afternoon into Sunday evening could cause any standing water to quickly freeze over. Strong wind gusts Sunday afternoon into Sunday night could bring down tree limbs and power lines.

“Public Works crews are at the ready, and will prepare roads and remove snow if necessary,” the city said.

According to the city, in the event of heavy snowfall, a snow emergency may be declared, which means vehicles must be removed from designated snow emergency routes. The National Weather Service said “travel could be very difficult at any point during the storm. Rapidly falling temperatures Sunday afternoon into the evening could cause any standing water to quickly freeze over. Strong wind gusts Sunday afternoon into the night could bring down tree limbs and power lines.”

The storm could create some minor to moderate coastal flooding in vulnerable areas, especially during high tide on Sunday morning, the National Weather Service said.

For more information and updates, visit the LB Ready. PSEG Long Island, meanwhile, said it is closely monitoring — and ready — for the storm.

“A strong storm system will impact the area this weekend,” the agency said. “These effects will include strong, gusty winds, heavy rainfall and the chance for accumulating snow. PSEG Long Island is performing system checks on critical transmission and distribution equipment and logistics checks to ensure the availability of critical materials, fuel and other supplies.”

•To report and receive status updates on an outage Text OUT to PSEGLI (773454) or to report an outage online visit www.psegliny.com/outages

•Follow PSEG Long Island on Facebook and Twitter to report an outage and to get updates before, during and after the storm.

•Downed wires should always be considered “live.” Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything contacting the wire. To report a downed wire call PSEG Long Island’s 24-hour Electric Service number: 1-800-490-0075

•Visit PSEG Long Island’s outage map to view outage information across Long Island and the Rockaways at https://outagemap.psegliny.com/

•Make sure everyone in the family is prepared and knows what to do if there is an emergency. Visit https://www.psegliny.com/safetyandreliability/stormsafety/beforeastorm to learn about safety tips from Sesame Street, YouTube safety videos and more.